Children donned their show stopping elaborate costumes for the annual National Day Fancy Dress competition yesterday.

The children kitted out in red, white and blue each strutted the catwalk wearing a National Day costume made specially for the the event held at the Piazza.

Daisy-Lee Conway aged just 10 months stole the show dressed as ‘a Royal in a carriage’, coming in first place at the competition. Judging the competition were the Chief Minister’s wife Justine Picardo, Deputy Chief Minister’s wife Penny Garcia and the Minister for Culture’s wife Jackie Linares.

Daisy’s mum Kaduiska Conway told the Chronicle she had worked on the costume until 3am that morning.

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“I have always loved the National Day costume competition and my parents never put me in one so I thought I was going to definitely enter my daughter into the competition,” said Mrs Conway.

“It is her first National Day and I had to take my chances. She’s my little princess so I thought what’s better than a little princess carriage. We’ve had loads of problems because we originally set it all up with different piping and all of that broke, so I had to go to Spain really quickly and buy new wiring to do it all over again.”

Mrs Conway had hand tied to flowers onto the carriage and used glue guns to attach all the separate pieces.

“She has really enjoyed it all and loves all the attention and limelight she’s had with the costume,” said Mrs Conway.

Daisy celebrated her first National Day with a family barbeque and seeing the Casemates rally.

A large crowd formed at the Piazza with the audience cheering on the children as each took their turns walking down the runway, as one of the first events kicking off the National Day agenda. It was organised by Gibraltar Cultural Services.

Second prize winner was Sophia Ward, age one, dressed as ‘Gibraltar’s first female QC’. Sophia dressed in a red robe and white lawyers wig was perfect for the occasion.

Third prize was Miley and Jake Piri, both aged eight, who dressed as the ‘National Day Breakfast’ and served up a plate of churros as they walked down the runway.

Choosing the winners was a tough job for Mrs Picardo who thought all the contestants had really excelled themselves.

“It is hugely difficult and we find this every year,” said Mrs Picardo.

“They are all so good and very cute. Having to decide between these amazing children and the creativity and effort put into the costumes by the parents is something to be applauded.”

“They all really make National Day special. It is part of the culture and its becoming ingrained in the festivities of the day. With the winner I thought it was very creative and had quite a visual impact.”

Each winner received a trophy donated by the Gibraltar Cultural Services with a selection of vouchers donated by various local businesses. The first place received over £150 worth of vouchers. In total seven contestants took part in the competition with two-month old Sean-Louis Azzopardi Frendo, Ava Segui, aged three and a half months, and Evelyn Chadwick and Kayla Lili Gusman both aged seven also participating.

The children had dressed up as mickey mouse, a beach baby, Miss Gibraltar and a disco girl.